Cushioned carriage



Aug. 13, 1935. c. HAMMER CUSHIONED CARRIAGE Filed Oct. 27, 1954 w ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 Application October 27, 1934, Serial No. 750,296 1 Claim. (01. 155 -167) This invention relates to cushioned carriages and has special reference to one particularly,

adapted for use by one engaged in a form of labor requiring kneeling, such, for example, as in paint- 5 ing, scrubbing, and polishing of floors, or the like.

The principal object is to reduce to a minimum the physical inconvenience of such form of labor.

Another object is to provide such a device affording maximum efficiency in its ability to per- 10 ambulate with the least effort on the part of the user, and at the same time one that becomes stationary with the greatest convenience.

Another object is to provide such a device which affords protection against thebedraggling or soiling of the clothes of a'woman when using the device. p

Still other objects and advantages of the inven-' tion will appear in the following description thereof.

go Referring now to the accompanying drawing,

forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one of my improved carriages or trays.

25 Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a modified form of the device;

In the embodiment here illustrated, .I have shown the body portion'or tray I as being composed of wood, though obviously the same may be I made of thin sheet metal, cast aluminum, or the 5 like, if desired. The'device is preferably of the odd shape illustrated, wider at the rear than at the front, and the object of such shape is to provide for the natural holding, in wrinkled or folded condition, the sides of the garment. such as a 40 dress or apron, as ordinarily worn by a woman whose duty it becomes at times to scrub or wash for example the floor of a room.

The body portion is surrounded by a suitable rubber band or moulding, indicated at 2, of any 45 desired shape and may be tacked, glued, or both,

to the edges of the body I, and at one end of the tray is provided a suitable handle 3, preferably of the same material of which the moulding is formed, so that the device may be conveniently 50 handled, and in being moved about on the floor more or less promiscuously may not damage other furniture contacted therebyI 7 To the top of the tray or body portion l is attached as'by gluing or otherwise suitable soft rub- 55 her pads 4, preferably semi-circular at the forward ends and wider at their rearmost portions and chamfered or beveled as at 5 wholly about their edges. In this manner it is found that the pads 4, being thus shaped, tend to encourage at least the placing of the carriage in the proper 5 position to be knelt upon, that is with its narrower end forward, which might not ordinarily be done otherwise without considerable experience by the user. The beveled edges of the pads 4 and the comparatively smooth surface of the carriage per- 10 mits of cleanliness with a minimum of effort, as is obvious.

To the under side of the carriageare fastened 'four castors, the central pair being indicated at 6 and the rearmost pair at 1. It will be noted that the central pair 6 is placed substantially on the longer medial line of the tray and-slightly forwardly of the center of the cushion pads 4, this being for the purpose of conveniently tipping of the tray by the natural movements of the users body in the act of scrubbing or painting a floor with the knees substantially centrally of the pads 4, as it is found that a person thus kneeling upon the tray or carriage when leaning forwardly in the act of working on the floor will tip the carriage forwardly withthe forward edge moving downwardly towards the floor, and for engagement with the latter I have provided the semi-hard rubber knobs or buttons]; fastened to the under side of the tray adjacent the forward corners thereof, thus the tipping process either one way or the other is most readily accomplished. In fact this tipping operation is at least semi-automatic, for when the user leans backwardly, resting his body on the calves of the legs or heels, the carriage naturally assumes a horizontal position upon the floor resting upon the four castors, and is thenreadily moved either backwardly, forwardly, or to either side.

All four corners of the carriage are rounded as 40 indicated, thus providing as convenient a structure as possible for manipulation about furniture or the corners of a room, and the particular arrangement of castors there shown insures stability of the device when the same is being 5 used.

Furthermore the castors'I have illustrated are providedwith abase flange like bodywhich is let into the bottom of the carrier with the ob- 5o ject of bringing the latter as close to the floor as practicable and requiring as little tipping as possible to accomplish the necessary functioning of the braking mechanism. However castors of other forms may be employed with equally good results without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 4, I have illustrated the member ID or bumper, as extending below the lower edge of the front wall of the body portion l l to act as a brake in lieu of the rubber knobs 8, shown in the other views, so that the band formed in this manner may function in providing the necessary brake for the device.

I am aware that'kneeling pads or trays are old in the art, but not aware that anything similar to the instant invention has heretofore been provided, though independently manipulated braking means have been used for kneeling pads or trays.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a knee carriage of the type described, a rigid substantially oblong supporting member, casters fixed to the under side of said support upon the longer medial line thereof, other castors fixed to the under side of the support rearwardly of the first mentioned castors, friction means carried by the support forwardly of the first mentioned casters for holding engagement with the surface upon which the carriage is used, and a pair of relatively small knee pads upon said supto port positioned over the medial line so as to insure the center of gravity of the carriage when in use occurring approximately on said medial line. CLARA HAMMER. 

